title: Developmental changes in cyclic AMP-stimulated stellation of cultured rat cortical astrocytes.
abstract: When cultured astrocytes are treated with agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP, they become process-bearing stellate cells. In the present study, we investigated possible developmental changes of astrocyte stellation induced by beta-adrenoceptor stimulaton. Cultured astrocytes were prepared from the cerebral cortices of embryonic day 18 (E18) and postnatal day 2 (P2) rats. Treatment with the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol induced stellation in P2 astrocytes more potently and rapidly than in E18 astrocytes. Isoproterenol-stimulated increase in cellular cyclic AMP levels was very similar in E18 and P2 astrocytes. The membrane-permeable cyclic AMP analog dibutyryl cyclic AMP induced stellation in P2 astrocytes more potently and rapidly than in E18 astrocytes. Stellation induced by the protein kinase C activator phorbol ester was not different between E18 and P2 astrocytes. These results suggest that beta-adrenoceptor-mediated astrocyte stellation increases during development and that this change is attributed to the development of mechanisms downstream from cyclic AMP production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003994:Bucladesine; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D003994:Bucladesine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D007545:Isoproterenol; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate